


The Difference a Few Months Can Make

by DraceDomino



Category: DCU, Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Fluff, Romance, Roommates, Slow Romance, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 01:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12223185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraceDomino/pseuds/DraceDomino
Summary: Raven's new college roommate isn't someone she expects to like. She's bubbly, she's sweet, and she has a weirdly enthusiastic way of doing things...the exact opposite of Raven herself. But who knows? Maybe if she sticks it out, it might not be so bad...





	The Difference a Few Months Can Make

The Difference a Few Months Can Make  
-by Drace Domino

“I just...I don’t know how much longer I can put up with her, Dad. Isn’t there something you can do?” Raven’s voice was quiet and thoughtful, sounding on the very fringes of desperate. For a girl whose voice hadn’t raised above a monotone in several years, it was the equivalent of shrieking into a pillow for help. As she held her cell phone closer to her cheek she tucked her knees to her chest, wrapping a single arm forward and around her legs as she gently hugged herself. She was...emotional. Frail. Despite all of her dark clothing and her somber disposition, Raven could mope like nobody else. “Please? Can you call someone?”

“That isn’t how we do things, Raven.” The full-bodied voice of her father came from the other end of the phone, as stubborn and obstinate as ever. She should’ve suspected as much; her dad was never known for his kindness. “You think she’s the only person you’ll ever not get along with? Your mother and I are decided - you either learn to get along with that girl, or we’re not paying for your college any more.”

“What?! But...But Dad-”

“No buts, Raven.” The steady and obstinate voice responded, emotionless to his daughter’s pleas. “You can’t sulk in your bedroom forever. Goodnight.”

And with that there came a tiny click on the other end, leaving Raven once more all alone and hopeless. She bit down on her bottom lip, and with a trembling quiver in her throat stared to the other side of the room. The horror...the horror. It was so...so…

...sunny.

Anyone stepping into Raven’s dorm room would’ve immediately been struck by the mental images of any one of a hundred sitcoms; any story in which someone decided it was a bright idea to split the room right down the middle to share between two parties. On Raven’s side everything was dark and gloomy from the posters to the bed sheets to the clothing neatly pressed and hanging against the closet door; she was a girl that valued organization and discipline and had a fondness for shades of deep purple, blue, and black. Her rich purple hair perfectly accented a black turtleneck and black denim pants with plenty of buckles and zippers; the only glint of metal that could hope to catch the light upon her person. When she wasn’t hugging her knees to her chest mid-mope she had her nose stuck in a book, and they all had titles befitting her room and disposition.

The Dying Foal. Mysteries of the Abyss. Dungeon Master’s Guide. Spooky, spooky stuff!

On the other edge of the room, starting right in between the distance from the dorm’s two beds, things started to take a sudden and dynamic shift. There were posters of adorable kittens instead of skulls and pentagrams, and brightly colored space toys hung from the ceiling instead of Raven’s full body length mirror she had somehow connected above her bed. (In her own words, to see what it would look like when she died.) The other girl’s bedspread was pink and purple with vibrant splashes of green, and her clothing was strewn all about in an absolute mess. Thigh high boots...miniskirts...panties. None of them were even remotely dignified in their color or design, and she didn’t even have the good decency to put them in a hamper! Raven narrowed her eyes as she glared at all those discarded bits of laundry, but she couldn’t focus on it for long before she heard the door start to swing open.

...she was back. The girl she had come to hate. Her roommate. Her bane. Her nemesis for the past month and a half.

Starfire. A real hippy name if Raven had ever heard one.

“Oh, hello, Raven!” Her chipper voice filled the room with bright and happy enthusiasm, and it practically made Raven’s skin crawl to listen to. The pale young woman visible tensed up at Starfire’s voice, and she gave her a slow nod in quiet response. Starfire fluttered in just as she always did; chased by a long trail of beautiful red hair and sporting a lovely bronze skin tone. She was attractive - no questioning that, but her personality was simply too joyful, too peppy, too...friendly. “I brought you a cupcake from the bakery of late night confections!”

...and that wasn’t even scratching the surface of how she talked. Starfire bounced over towards Raven and put down a tiny pastry package at the edge of the nightstand, giggling as she danced back to her corner of the room. After kicking free of another pair of knee length boots and collecting a pair of panties from the floor she spun carefree on a heel, looking once more to her gloomy roomy.

“Friend! May I use the shower to unwind from my night’s adventures?!” She clutched her panties to her chin; as if she was deeply eager to slink back into them for the night. “I promise, I will not use all the hot water!” It was a lie. She would. She always did.

“...fine.” Raven finally managed to creep out a murmur, and she reached out for one of her many dark and foreboding books as Starfire giggled and slipped into the shower. Soon the bathroom door closed and the sound of the shower came muted from through the wall, as well as the steady heat of steam that crept underneath the door. Raven idly gazed over at the pastry box on the corner of the nightstand, and after a bit of hesitation she finally let her hand drift out to pick it up. Starfire was always bringing her treats like this. Cupcakes, ice cream, even little toys from gumball machines.

How Raven despised her.

With a sighing scoff Raven lifted up the top flap of the box, and she gazed down at the cupcake waiting for her attention. Bright pink frosting. Sprinkles. A chocolate kiss right in the center. And stuck into the depths of the icing there was a tiny cake topper that proudly sported the words “Best of Friends!”

Raven growled under her breath, plucked the cake topper from the confection, and quietly began to eat. Soon she could hear Starfire singing from the shower and it only made Raven tense up more; her teeth sinking into that sweet bite of icing and chocolate and her stomach churning at the overload of flavor.

She didn’t like sweet things. And she especially, especially didn’t like sweet things like Starfire. But she ate it to be polite...and to make this living situation work.

At least...that was what she told herself.

 

Two months later.

Growth was a slow thing; at least to a girl like Raven who kept so very much inside. Starfire’s friendly nature was something she couldn’t quite understand, but as the days turned into weeks it started to bother her less and less. After all, Starfire was still respectful to her, kind even, and had never asked anything more of Raven than she was willing and able to give. The calls to Raven’s dad; fast and constant in the beginning, had all but dissolved. She didn’t beg to be sent home anymore, and nearly fifty days after her dorm assignment Raven was feeling oddly...content. The same evening activity happened almost every night; she would be sitting alone in the dark reading a book when Starfire would burst in to greet her and take a shower. Sometimes there would be a tiny present, sometimes not...though no matter what, Raven did little more than give her roommate a tiny nod of welcome. Affection wasn’t something her family was big on, and she wasn’t exactly sure how to spare any for her outgoing roommate.

Still, what they had seemed to work. At least...until the day that Starfire’s smile wasn’t quite so invincible. That typical evening in which Raven was reading eldritch horrors was suddenly interrupted by the swinging of their door, and instead of receiving the welcoming look of a cheerful Starfire the girl that slipped in was...well, it hardly even looked like her roommate when there was no smile on her face. Her hair was hanging low and sad down her back instead of dancing with every step, her shoulders were slouched forward and her expression was down. Even her boots were somehow sad; dragging along against the carpet in sweeping strikes. There was no cupcake or treat that she brought home for Raven that night, and it was clear something was deeply troubling her.

Raven, for lack of anything better to say, simply stared at her friend while she moved. Starfire said nothing as she moved across the room to her side, ignoring her usual routine of kicking off her boots and taking a refreshing shower. She pressed her knees to the edge of the bed and silently fell forward; her slender frame crashing down against the mattress as her cheek landed into the warm embrace of a pillow. It was...frightening, almost, and a stark change of pace from what Raven had come to expect of her roommate. The thoughtful, timid thing nibbled on her bottom lip briefly, and as she stared at the purple-garbed lump in the other bed she finally allowed her voice to quietly call across the room.

“...S...Starfire?” She asked; worry lining her otherwise emotionless tone. “Are you…?” Okay? Sad? Sick? The clever little goth was so much of an introvert she didn’t even know how to ask about someone’s well being. Clearly, her parents had made a few missteps.

“I do not wish to talk about it!” Came the sudden and loud response, though her words were half-slurred by a mouthful of pillow. Her face remained face-down in the warm comfort as she made her protest, tucking her hands underneath it and giving a shivering, almost sobbing whimper. “I...I do not wish to hang out at this school anymore!”

“...oh.” Raven’s voice was quiet and contemplative; and though she didn’t take Starfire entirely at her word it was clear that something had upset her. It was a difficult position for the young goth - to pursue a means of helping someone else feel better whom she didn’t have a strong connection with. Even if Starfire was her best friend Raven wouldn’t of known exactly what to say to her, though it did force her to confront the simple truth that...well...she actually was her best friend. The only person she spoke to every day, even if it was sometimes so much as a single word. The only person she trusted enough to leave alone in their shared room with all of her things and diary. The redheaded bit of sunshine that Raven looked forward to arriving every night long after the real sun went down. The pale young woman fidgeted a bit and folded her book into her lap, laying it to the side before speaking up anew. “Can we...can we talk about it?”

“No, and I do not understand why you would wish to!” Starfire’s rejection of that request came quick and harsh, indicating that something had deeply wounded her that evening. Whether it was trouble with her friends, an issue with the school itself, even problems with a boy...Raven couldn’t be sure. But she knew that it hurt her while she sat there and listened to Starfire’s words. “You...You’re just like everyone else! I try so hard to be friends with everyone, to make them smile, and they just...they’re just a bunch of mean klorbags!”

Two months in, and Raven still wasn’t sure what klorbags were. But...she hoped she wasn’t one.

“Starfire...what happened?” Raven pressed at last, slipping up in her place on the bed and facing Starfire across the room. Black sweat pants were crossing her legs as they tucked underneath her, and she tugged gently at the equally dark sweater that kept her mostly covered. Raven was little more than a pale head and hands sticking out of a mass of black, with a light purple mop straight around her cheeks. Those pale features were concerned; however, even though Starfire’s face was too deep in her pillow to see. “Please? I...I want to help.”

“No you do not!” Starfire suddenly blurted out; her emotions raging even deeper as she looked up from the pillow with tears in her eyes. She was hurt. Wounded. Her beautiful features marred by sadness, her smile stolen away by some unknown event. Raven already wanted to track down whoever did this to her and beat them into the ground...and she wasn’t usually a violent person. The only thing keeping her in check was the sting of Starfire’s further words; words that reminded her that she was far from sinless. “I am sorry you’re stuck with me, Raven! The weird, stupid, goofy girl on the campus! No wonder you never leave the room, you do not wish for anyone to know that you live with me!” And with that, her head spun forward and buried into the pillow once more. The sobs were deeper now, intense and enough to make Starfire’s shoulders quiver with emotion. Each noise was a point of pain to Raven, a pain that she wasn’t at all comfortable with experiencing...or even sure how to process. The only thing she could think of; the only thing she could conjure within her gloomy thoughts, was to slip out of her bed and reach for a box hiding underneath it.

Wordlessly, Raven pulled out a thin cardboard box that once belonged to one of her demonic miniatures. “Mind-Heating Bile Demon” was sitting on her bookshelf nearby, and his box now rattled with several tiny trinkets that Starfire needed to see. Without a word Raven moved to where the sobbing Starfire still laid and invited herself to sit at the very edge of the bed; gazing down at where her friend shook with emotion and trembled with pain. It was with a cautious hand that Raven reached out; pausing only briefly before letting her pale fingers rest lightly on the top of Starfire’s hair. Even at the end of the day it was soft and silky; just like she had suspected.

“I want to show you something.” Raven finally spoke, opening the lid of her box with her free hand. “Look up for a second?”

“...Raven, I do not want to see another one of your weird miniatures.” Starfire whimpered as she looked up and saw the outside package of the box. “The one with the purple worm, it...it haunts my nightmares.”

“Not the box. What’s inside of it.” Raven’s voice was quiet, contemplative, but she didn’t show Starfire the focus of her thoughts until the young woman had sat up. Before long the two girls were side by side on the bed, and Raven let one of her hands push into Starfire’s so she could spread her fingers out and leave her palm open. As the redhead watched Raven pulled her hand into her box and pulled out a tiny treasure; dropping it gently into Starfire’s open hand.

A silly thing to be sure; a cupcake topper of a smiling green frog. A cheap decoration for a tasty treat, but nothing more.

And for something so...simple, it made Starfire’s eyes well with tears almost immediately.

“...and there’s this one. And this. And this. This one…” As Raven spoke she pulled trinket after trinket out of the bag, laying each one into Starfire’s outstretched palm. A little monkey toy from a grocery store bubble machine. A button pin with a snarling yet cute dragon on it. Even a stretched out penny with Raven’s name engraved on it, acquired from Starfire’s brief trip to something called “Old West Dayz.” The more and more that Raven pulled out and pressed into Starfire’s hand the more the redhead quivered with emotion, watching two months of history between them land against her fingers. She had tried so hard over the weeks to make Raven like her...but it was the first indication she had that it was even remotely starting to work.

Finally it all came back to a simple cupcake topper with the words “Best Friends” on it, long-licked clean of icing but with a sentiment that remained fresh. Raven held that tiny topper tight in her fingers before she pressed it down into Starfire’s open hand, letting her touch remain there for a few seconds as she gazed up at her friend’s face. Only when their eyes met, and Raven felt the closest thing to affection for another person that she had in...well, ever, did the young woman finally speak.

“Starfire, I don’t know what happened, but…” Her voice was weak, weary, strained not only from her inexperience with emotion but with the fact that her stomach was rolling with butterflies. No, not butterflies, those were far too cheerful. Moths! Rolling with moths. “If you left, if you...if you weren’t here anymore, I…” A swell of emotion forced her to draw in a deep breath, and the young woman felt herself become far more genuine than she was truly comfortable with. “...please don’t leave. Not the school, and not me.”

Starfire needed a few moments to process it all, to hear her friend’s words, to look at those tiny baubles in her hand, and to carry the weight that her attempts to reach Raven had succeeded. As college friends they were a bit of a failure. They didn’t talk about boys...or school work...or really much of anything. Their friendship had been mostly silent on Raven’s part, and she had never told Starfire how much she had appreciated being noticed. Nobody else seemed to, but Starfire had never ignored her. She had never judged her for her silence or her shyness, and had always let her know she remembered her in any one of countless tiny ways.

Realizing that Raven had noticed...it was overwhelming, and Starfire’s tears remained in place but shifted their purpose. They weren’t shivers of sadness anymore so much as celebrations, and she swiftly turned her hand towards the open box to put all of those trinkets back before leaning in to embrace her friend. It was a swift motion that left Raven off guard, but even though she wasn’t much of a hugger there was no way she could’ve denied her friend anyway.

“Oh, Raven…!” Starfire blurted out as she crashed against her friend, squeezing her close and burying her face in the pale young woman’s neck. She breathed in deep and locked her arms; making it damned clear that Raven wouldn’t be escaping anytime soon. “I’m sorry I called you a klorbag!” Raven, with a tiny chuckle and her arms sweeping up Starfire’s back to return the embrace, offered a sweet and soft whisper to the best of her talents.

“It’s okay, I was being one.” She assured her friend, without fully understanding what one was. It was probably close enough, considering how she had behaved. It took her a few seconds to figure out just what she was to do with her arms in the middle of a tender hug, but once she did she allowed herself to fall into it. Her face turned to Starfire’s hair as she drew a deep breath, and for the first time since arriving at college she felt...happy. Happier than she had ever been at home, for sure. Raven leaned into the embrace, warm in Starfire’s arms, and quite happy to keep her close. “...promise you won’t leave?”

The response she received was silent; but after the past two months she deserved as much. Starfire gave a whimpering nod against Raven’s throat as she tightened her grip, and her tears flowed sweetly across Raven’s pale flesh. It was an embrace that would last for some time, and Raven was fine with that. Within the confines of their private dorm the two girls held each other close; learning about intimacy, friendship, and connection.

And though neither one of them might have noticed it at the time, something a little deeper.

 

One month later.

Raven never did find out just what had upset Starfire so terribly that night, but she had her suspicions. Rumors were abound about the weird girl on campus - at least, the one that wasn’t Raven - and how none of the girls seemed to like her while all of the boys only liked parts of her. Raven was a girl that people often overlooked, and within the context of the background goth many people spoke freely about her roommate without even acknowledging that Raven was there. The things that were said infuriated her, and more than a few times she had to keep her temper in check. A temper inherited by her father, yet she doubted he had ever allowed it to flare over a selfless reason before.

“What kind of name is Starfire, anyway? She’s such a bimbo. Probably high all the time.”

“Man, that girl’s tits are great! What’s that? Hell no I wouldn’t date her weird ass...but I’d sure give her a good time for a night!”

“Every campus has one I guess. Some ditz that only got in because her parents are rich. Either that, or she sucked all sorts of cock to get in, haha!”

The more and more Raven heard those words the more she burned with anger, yet she was able to keep her frustrations in check long enough to refocus them. Thankfully, the perfect outlet had provided itself within the past few weeks, the perfect thing to take her mind off of the people that treated Starfire poorly. Namely, Starfire herself.

“Victory!” Starfire’s voice would fill their room as the two girls sat in the center of the floor, looming over a play mat with miniatures and dice. “Darkgoth Edge, you have slain the porkbeast of Hopscotch plaza! Roll a search check to see if you find any treasure while rummaging through its sticky, sticky guts!”

And on days that they weren’t sitting on the floor playing that…

“I don’t know, Starfire.” Raven mused, mid-chew. Spread all around them was a litany of french fry boxes with different sauces; mixed and matched from various places. “I think the best is the Burger King fries dipped in…” A thoughtful ponder. “...the Wendy’s Frosty.”

“Raven, that is not a sauce for dipping!” Starfire gasped, her eyes wide. “You have to play by the ru-mmphh!” She was silenced as Raven scooped some fries into the chocolate ice cream, and popped them squarely past her friend’s mouth. Starfire’s eyes lit up instantly, and as soon as she finished chewing and swallowing she enthusiastically clutched her friend’s shoulders. “Raven, it is glorious! Come, we need to get even more!” Soon the two would dash out the door, leaving a mess to clean up when they finally returned.

Things had been going on like that for a month now; Starfire’s evening trips replaced with cute and sweet moments with her friend. Sometimes they did the activities Raven wanted, and sometimes Starfire...no matter if that meant Starfire sitting through a three hour emo band filled with noise and smoke, or Raven cringing her way through “Medieval Dayz.” But at least she got a new penny out of it.

Together, the two were finally a team. But it wasn’t until nearly their four month anniversary under the same roof that things developed even further. It had been a long day off from classes; a day where they didn’t have to do anything other than relax, and yet they had managed to fill their hours with laughter and excitement. An early morning movie at the town theater had set the pace for a day of shopping, food, and even a prolonged trip to the local arcade where the two girls spent well over their budget to complete a thirty year old game where giant reptiles beat up robots. When they returned home nearly fourteen hours later they were exhausted but happy; each one smiling wide as they slipped back into the room.

“Raven, today was wonderful!” Starfire beamed, twisting on a heel as she regarded her friend. A smile looked good on the goth girl, and it made Starfire’s heart race to see it. “I could barely hold onto my grobnaks it was so much fun!”

“Well, I’m glad you managed to keep them in place.” Raven beamed right back, taking the time to lock their dorm room door. She set aside a bag from her go-to makeup and fishnet retailer before turning once more to her friend, and instantly softening her gaze even further. The big, almost silly smile, the charming red locks hanging down either side of Starfire’s head...everything about the sweet young woman was wonderful. Without realizing it Starfire drifted a step closer, sighing contentedly. “Starfire, thank you for everything. I didn’t realize how fun college could be before you. Means a lot to me.”

“Oh, Raven, it has indeed been splendid spending time with you!” Came the joyful response. Starfire was definitely the huggy sort, and Raven had fully expected, maybe even looked forward to, a sudden embrace from her friend. Instead Starfire merely darted up and scooped her hands into Raven’s own, gripping them gently as they gazed fondly at one another. “You are the sweetest friend I could hope for...and it makes it much more special knowing that I’m the only one you have!”

A deep cut, maybe, but honest. And who could fault a girl for her beautiful, innocent honesty? Raven merely laughed at it, and her pale fingers slithered into Starfire’s open, warm palms. She gazed down at the girl’s hands over her own, enjoyed for a few seconds longer the feel of her touch, and then finally looked up again as impulse and affection were high. Whether it was the thrill of a fun day or out the bond that had been forged over the past few months Raven couldn’t say; she wasn’t sure exactly why she did what she did. But as soon as it happened - as soon as she leaned forward on her toes, brought her face close, and pressed a kiss against Starfire’s lips - she knew that her relationship with her tall, redheaded friend would never be the same again.

It was a brief kiss, lasting only a few seconds, but its affection was clear even if her intent was nebulous. Raven bounced back onto her feet after delivering it, her cheeks a vibrant shade of pink, which looked about as unnatural on her flesh as one could expect. That simple kiss had been the boldest thing she ever did, and instantly she regretted stretching herself out so far. In a desperate bid to break the sudden tension and escape Starfire’s suddenly shocked gaze, Raven blurted out in sudden fashion as she broke away from her friend’s touch.

“Well that’s enough fun for one day, goodnight Starfire! Nice day, see you tomorrow, sleep tight don’t let the bedbugs bite and all that!”

She had it in mind to swing as quickly as she could to the comfort of her bed; to hide her face and wonder about just what the hell she had just done, but she didn’t make it nearly that far. She barely even made it an arm’s length away before something caught her, the feel of Starfire’s hand around her wrist. Poor Raven barely had time to think about just what was happeningf Mont before she was spinning back into Starfire’s arms; yanked there with a fierce tug that suddenly pressed their bodies together. Starfire said nothing as she advanced, one hand moving to the side of Raven’s cheek as the other held her wrist even tighter, as if she was silently terrified her friend would break away. Their lips closed the distance by Starfire’s beckon, and the soft press of their mouths together was a seamless continuation of what Raven had started. Sweet, soft, even innocent...all of the tender things that had been in Raven’s impulsive gesture just a few seconds ago.

Only this time, it lingered. It lingered long after Raven’s breath caught up with her, and it lingered long after the goth girl’s hands had managed to find their way up and around Starfire’s shoulders. While the tall redhead continued to ease her lips against Raven’s own, their bodies pressed in all the closer and they shared an intimate heat between them. A warmth of connection and affection; not a bond of carnal pleasure but one of the emotion they had formed for each other. The past few months had been a hard trial for both of them in their own ways, and yet somehow...somehow, they had been there for each other.

It was several long moments before the kiss ended; Starfire’s lips peeling from Raven’s own bit by bit as her head started to lift. A vibrant blush marked the friendly young woman’s cheeks, and she allowed her touch to sweep past Raven’s temple and to the very back of her ear. The smile resting on the goth’s face was as lovely as it had ever been, and ti spoke of a beautiful innocence that few college girls could ever really boast. Starfire, ever the more bold and brave of the two, was the first to speak as she pressed a little closer to her friend.

“...Raven?” She whispered her friend’s name, the emotion aching within her gentle, whispered voice. “...promise you won’t leave?”

Words of weight and worth within their relationship, within the trust that was quickly forming into something more. Despite her stalwart defiance that she was an emotionless fiend, the sting of tears at the corner of Starfire’s eyes emerged once more. She offered little more than a strangled whimper as she collapsed forward; arms lunging around Starfire’s shoulders and mouth rushing forward to seal their kiss again.

It was just the beginning for Starfire and Raven. Spooky, silly, and completely infatuated with each other.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Definitely a departure for me, doing something clean and sweet! Hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> [Check me on tumblr!](http://dracedomino.tumblr.com)


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